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News India Live, Digital Desk: The great saga of Mahabharata was created not only on the battlefield, but also in the closed rooms of the palaces where the seeds of bitterness of the future were being sown. When we read this epic carefully, we come to know that many marriages here were not normal. Many marriages were the result of deceit, force and political pressure, which later took a sinister turn on the grounds of Kurukshetra.
When time became a truth for Gandhari
The most popular story is that of Dhritarashtra and Gandhari. It is often said that Gandhari blindfolded her husband because he was blind, but was this her complete dedication? Many experts believe that Gandhari’s family had to bow before the military power of Bhishma. He did not even know that the prince was born blind. When Gandhari came to know this truth, she was filled with bitterness and sorrow. Tying the bandage was not only a mark of respect for her husband, but also a protest against the betrayal that had happened to her.
Bhishma: When the protector of dignity became the ‘kidnapper’
Hardly you know that Shantanu’s son Bhishma, who is considered an icon of religion, had abducted Kashiraj’s three daughters – Amba, Ambika and Ambalika – from a solemn swayamvar for the marriage of his brother Vichitravirya. It was ‘deceit’ that ruined Amba’s life. This step of Bhishma is a big question mark on his greatness, and this very fire of revenge gave birth to Shikhandi who later became the cause of Bhishma’s end.
That dreadful step of Duryodhana: Bhanumati’s Swayamvar
Duryodhana, who wanted the destruction of the Kuru dynasty, also did not tie his relationships with the thread of decorum. During Bhanumati’s swayamvara, when the princess did not like him and moved on, Duryodhana, in anger, forcibly held her hand and made her sit on his chariot. With the help of Karna, he defeated all the kings who were opposing. Bringing a queen to one’s capital without her consent may have been considered bravery in that era of ‘Kshatriya Dharma’, but it was a sheer betrayal of a woman’s dignity.
What was the result of these relationships?
It is said that the foundation built on deception does not last. These marriages of Mahabharata teach that in forcefully imposed relationships, a feeling of revenge is born, not love. Be it Amba’s hatred or Gandhari’s unfulfilled happiness, all these emotions gradually nurtured and grew the anger which ultimately destroyed the glory of Hastinapur.
In today’s modern era of 2025, when we understand the importance of relationships, these incidents from Mahabharata remind us that consent and truth are the biggest strength of any bond.